Decomposing human remains generate noxious and malodorous odors which are probably among the most offensive known to man. These highly disagreeable odors affect not only those in the immediate area, but the smell rapidly permeates walls and spreads around doors and cracks, to the extent that it soon becomes noticeable in the entire wing of a building. Various methods to eliminate these odors are being used by hospitals, coroner's and medical examiner's offices, where such autopsies are conducted. However, no method to date is entirely effective.
These methods usually consists of complete air exchange, at a rapid rate, in the room in which the autopsy is performed. Two systems have been used. One utilizes an air system. Another provides airlocks. Both systems are costly and airlocks take up space.
However, there is not presently available a satisfactory low cost system to deodorize autopsy rooms in which decomposed remains are subjected to post-mortem examination. Autopsy rooms in older hospitals have no provisions for odor removal and resort to methods such as chemical deodorizers, which are ineffective and attempt to cover up one odor with another. In newer hospitals, attempts have been made to use air locks and equipment for rapid exchange of air. Neither is intended for autopsies on decomposed remains and is unable to control these odors, besides being expensive to install and maintain.
Clayton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,002,223 (1911) and Lawrence, U.S. Pat. No. 1,041,637 (1912) are concerned with long term preservation of a body after burial in a mausoleum. Such devices remove moisture from the casket containing the body by circulating dry air over the body. This process takes a long time, probably months, and changes the body into a leather-like mummy. This change produces artefacts and precludes adequate preservation of the surface of the body, which is of greatest concern to the forensic pathologist examining a body for possible injuries. The present invention is solely concerned with examination after recovery of an already decomposed body and does not alter or deteriorate the tissues in any way. It is essential that the system does not alter or deteriorate the tissues.
Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,455 (1967) is directed to sewage lift stations. Sewage is introduced and withdrawn from a concrete tank and an incumbustible mixture of sewer gas and air is withdrawn through a pipe to a deodorizer, to a burner. Such an arrangement of a small pipe would be totally inadequate for handling the malodorous gases from an autopsy room. The intensity of the odor which emanates from decomposed remains, even before incision of the body, and the enormously rapid spread of this odor through the building preclude such a pipe system.
Agnew, U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,067 (1973) and Zuckerberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,407 (1976) are directed to a different need. They are both concerned with sterilization of air, i.e., elimination of air-borne microorganisms from operating rooms. Neither is effective for odor control and for our purpose are entirely ineffective.
Kaplan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,096 (1975) is specifically designed for autopsy tables and provides for downward draft ventilation. However, a closer study of this method clearly indicates, that the downward draft will direct foul odors away from the pathologist performing the examination, but will not keep foul odors from spreading in the building.
The pathologist performing the autopsy is not the immediate concern. It is the entire hospital, the entire building in which such post-mortem examination is performed that is addressed by my invention.
Jewett, of New York, and Lipshaw, of Detroit, have both marketed this type of product and, whereas, it is moderately effective for odor control in the case of an autopsy of a fresh dead body in a hospital, or veterinary clinic, it is entirely unable to cope with the large volumes of gases which emanate under pressure from decomposed human remains, as is often the case in medicolegal settings.
Accordingly, among the objectives of the invention are to provide a system which will eliminate the odor from a contaminated autopsy room, deodorize and expel the air from the building; and which system is low in cost and easy to construct, operate and maintain.
In accordance with the invention, the method and system comprises withdrawing large volumes of noxious gases substantially instantaneously from the specific autopsy environment and directing the gases to a chamber where the flammable decomposition gases are bombarded by a flame, ignited, burned and deodorized, and the air and burned gases directed to the exterior of the building.